Kyū was a level 2 university project and entry into the UK and European-based 'Student Lighting Awards' competiton in 2007.
The project represented a key development in my design and thought process that would form the basis of my approach to creative briefs throughout the early stages of my career and was recognised within the competition by Philips and honoured with the award for 'Innovation with a Modern Lightsource'.
I have always admired the culture of Japan from afar, finding particular interest in the way in which the country lives with both the ultra-modern cities that push the boundaries of technology and the areas that are steeped in tradition and show delicate respect to their heritage.
This juxtaposition of modern and traditional elements was to form the foundations of the overall design and help to dictate a direction to take the concept.
-- Traditional paper lanterns found throughout Japan. The paper gives a nice diffuse to the light source inside and are often found in spherical or cyclindrical designs. --
-- Examples of modern and traditional interiors highlight the difference in materials and manufacturing processes. --
-- Calligraphy, or Shodu, is the traditional form of writing in Japan. The motion used for each glyph gives a beautiful fluidity to the form of each character. --
All above imagery taken from various web sources.
- The design introduced elements from traditional Japan and used modern materials and manufacturing techniques to achieve the balance between the two eras. The matte injection-moulded sphere was inspired by paper lanterns and gave a similar diffuse to the light source, helping to eliminate 'hot spots'. --
-- To retain a sense of traditional woodwork, beech ply strips were selected, glued and clamped by hand to form the main structure whilst also remaining sympathetic to the light coloured wood used in traditional Japanese interiors. --
-- To maximise the potential marketability of the design, alternative finishes would be produced for the wooden structure, whilst the central sphere was designed to be interchangeable, allowing the end customer the option of customising the look of the design. --
